The Department of Communication highlights the role of communication in creating relationships within human societies. Courses range from the personal through the international level and build responsible citizenship.

A degree in communication focuses on social science research, leading to several career paths, including market research, corporate relations, human resources, event planning, advertising, media writing, teaching, and government.

The core courses introduce fundamental concepts, theories, issues, and statistical methods in a variety of settings and build skills in reasoned argument, research, and critical thinking.

Subsequent courses integrate analysis and research, emphasizing observation, production, and consumption as critical processes in which students continually engage, while also emphasizing systematic inquiry that involves students in research activities. The courses foster critical understanding of the ways that individuals, groups, and societies create meanings about their worlds through communication.

BA with a Major in Communication

Students may declare a major in Communication at any time. The first courses students should complete are the following, which are prerequisites for enrollment in many upper-level communication courses.

COMM 101–Introduction to Communicationa

COMM 102–Introduction to Interpersonal Communicationa

COMM 103–Introduction to Mediaa

A grade of B or better is required in at least two of these courses. Students who fail to meet this requirement will be dropped from the major.

Students must maintain a minimum major GPA of 2.50. Students who do not meet this requirement will be placed on probation in the major. To be reinstated to full status in the major, students must raise their major GPA to 2.50 within one semester after being notified that they are on probation.

Degree Requirements

To earn a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences degree from UIC, students must complete University, college, and department degree requirements. The Department of Communication degree requirements are outlined below. Students should consult the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section for additional degree requirements and college academic policies.

BA with a Major in Communication Degree Requirements

Hours

Major Requirements

36

General Education and Electives to reach Minimum Total Hours

84

Minimum Total Hours—BA with a Major in Communication

120

General Education

See General Education and Writing-in-the-Discipline in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section for information on meeting these requirements.

Major Requirements

Courses

Hours

COMM 101—Introduction to Communicationa

3

COMM 102—Introduction to Interpersonal Communicationa

3

COMM 103—Introduction to Mediaa

3

COMM 200—Communication Technologies

3

COMM 201—Statistics in Communication Researchb

3

COMM 301—Communication Researchc

3

Five additional communication courses at the 200-,
300-, or 400-level with at least 2 courses at the 400-leveld

15

One of the following:e

3

COMM 490—Seminar in Culture and Communication (3)

COMM 491—Seminar in Media and Communication (3)

Total Hours—Major Requirements

36

a This course is approved for the Understanding the Individual and Society General Education category.b COMM 201 also fulfills the LAS Quantitative Reasoning require­ment.c COMM 301 also fulfills the Writing-in-the-Discipline requirement.d Exclusive of COMM 490 and 491, no more than 3 hours of COMM 474 and 3 hours of COMM 498 may be applied toward the degree. COMM 454 does not count toward the major or minor in Communication.e Only one of the seminars, COMM 490 or 491, may be applied toward the major in Communication.
Minor in Communication

All course work taken to satisfy the Communication major must have a grade of C or better. In addition, a minimum GPA of 2.00/4.00 is required in all courses in the major field taken at UIC.

Students from other disciplines who want to minor in Communication must complete 18 semester hours as outlined below. A grade of C or better must be earned in all courses counting toward the minor.

Required Courses—Communication Minor

Hours

COMM 101—Introduction to Communication

3

COMM 102—Introduction to Interpersonal Communication

3

COMM 103—Introduction to Media

3

COMM 200—Communication Technologies

3

Two COMM electives at the 200-level or higher, except COMM 454a

6

Total Hours—Communication Minor

18

a With approval, other social science Quantitative Reasoning courses may substitute for COMM 201 as a prerequisite to courses for the COMM electives.

Distinction

For Distinction, the requirements are a cumulative GPA of 3.25/4.00 and a departmental GPA of 3.50/4.00. For High Distinction, the requirements are a cumulative GPA of 3.25/4.00, a departmental grade point average of 3.50/4.00, and satisfactory completion of an advanced original research paper under the supervision of a faculty member of the student’s choosing. Refer to the deaprtment handbook for procedures and deadlines.